By VINCE LOVERGINE
TopSports.news
Topeka West girls soccer celebrated Senior Night Tuesday night with a 5-0 United Kansas Conference win over Leavenworth on a chilly night at Hummer Sports Park.
Topeka West junior Micah Williams had a three-goal hat trick in Tuesday's 5-0 UKC win over Leavenworth, giving her 26 goals on the season. [File photo/TSN]
“Our season has kind of been in waves and to start that upward trajectory now heading towards the end of the season and postseason, it’s a good feeling,'' Topeka West coach Josh Kutter said. "Our play is improving, we’re coming together at a good time.
“The confidence on the ball -- they're taking a touch, their eyes are up, they're looking to find their teammates and connect a pass and they're always looking for the dangerous one. They're looking to get the ball forward so that we can attack them.”
Topeka West which snapped a five-game losing streak in a 6-0 win over Junction City on Monday, improved to 7-5.
Charger junior and Northern Iowa commit Micah Williams continued to produce Tuesday as she has all season and throughout her whole career.
Williams got the Chargers on the board first at the 37:18 mark of the first half, notching her 24th goal of the year. Then, about six minutes later, she scored again from inside the middle of the box off her left foot, making it two-nil.
“Anytime she’s on the ball she’s dangerous … and when that first one goes in it lifts that confidence and the team is ready to go forward and we know that more are going to follow after that first one,” Kutter said.
Williams then earned a hat trick with 57 seconds before the half, scoring outside the box with her left foot, marking her 26th goal of the season.
But it was Senior Night after all and senior midfielder Adrian Romero scored on a penalty kick with 36 seconds remaining in the first half, making it a 4-0 West lead.
“I've been getting a lot of assists this season and I haven't had any goals and on Senior Night I finally got my two so, I think I'm set for the season,” Romero said
“I was really scared (on the first goal) but it was good and then the second goal, it was just out of nowhere but it made me really happy and it made my team really happy.”
“It was good for her because she’s always been able to hit them ... and to build that confidence going forward, that will be really helpful to have a couple of weapons in the future,” Kutter said.
Romero's second goals with 33:29 left was the final one of the match, burying one from way beyond the box.
“It was probably the biggest one to me even though obviously we've beaten some people more than 5-0,'' Romero said. "This is probably the biggest win in my head because it's Senior Night and this is my last ride so it was definitely a big one.''
The Chargers will play USD 501 rival Topeka High on May 4 at 6:15 p.m. at Hummer Sports Park.
